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Joe Goodhart (27 KP) rated 11.22.63 in Books
Nov 30, 2020
When this book first came in, back in 2011, I blew it off, despite a marked interest in all things JFK/Lee Harvey Oswald conspiracy related. However, when I saw who had written it, that interest was dashed bits. Jumping ahead to yesterday, when I completed the book, I find myself having to rough myself up mentally for not reading this sooner!
The novel is unlike anything I've read by King. The prose was just right, not too much. Even the use of profanity was toned down = not sure if this was because of the era it was set (unlikely, I apt to believe, as life was not "The Donna Reed Show", contrary to what we would like to believe) or attributable to the fact that Mr. King has, in fact, grown up as a writer. In any case, I liked a whole heckuva lot!
The book had so many good plot elements: time-travel, romance, epic dilemmas, and characters that you genuinely cared about! All of the aforementioned elements added up to a novel worthy of praise and adulatation - many times over!
The story within was so engaging that I finished it within a week after starting it - something I haven't been able to do with a Stephen King novel in a loooong time! Throughout the tale, I found myself smiling, laughing, gripped with tension and suspense, and the hardest emotion to pull: tears of sadness and delight!
Look, I will not mislead or try to "lure" you into reading this. What I do is tell it like this: there more books on the NY Times bestseller list that are just filler for writers' contractual obligations, lacking the real substance or feeling needed for a proper tale.! '11/21/63' has plenty of feeling and substance, enough to offer to some of the other bestsellers on the list now, and then.
And conclusion, I will leave like this: Seriously? You do a lot worse that giving this book the shot it deserves.
The novel is unlike anything I've read by King. The prose was just right, not too much. Even the use of profanity was toned down = not sure if this was because of the era it was set (unlikely, I apt to believe, as life was not "The Donna Reed Show", contrary to what we would like to believe) or attributable to the fact that Mr. King has, in fact, grown up as a writer. In any case, I liked a whole heckuva lot!
The book had so many good plot elements: time-travel, romance, epic dilemmas, and characters that you genuinely cared about! All of the aforementioned elements added up to a novel worthy of praise and adulatation - many times over!
The story within was so engaging that I finished it within a week after starting it - something I haven't been able to do with a Stephen King novel in a loooong time! Throughout the tale, I found myself smiling, laughing, gripped with tension and suspense, and the hardest emotion to pull: tears of sadness and delight!
Look, I will not mislead or try to "lure" you into reading this. What I do is tell it like this: there more books on the NY Times bestseller list that are just filler for writers' contractual obligations, lacking the real substance or feeling needed for a proper tale.! '11/21/63' has plenty of feeling and substance, enough to offer to some of the other bestsellers on the list now, and then.
And conclusion, I will leave like this: Seriously? You do a lot worse that giving this book the shot it deserves.
Merissa (12950 KP) rated Dark Siren (Dark Siren, #1) in Books
Apr 19, 2023
In a genre that is saturated with shifters and vampires (although that is slowly changing), it makes a refreshing change to read something different. And trust me, this is different. I have read the book, enjoyed the book, and know what Kali's title is but I don't actually know 'what' she is completely. You might think that this is a problem but it's not. If anything, it makes you connect with Kali all the more. After all, this book pretty much takes place over a couple of weeks time so Kali has gone from knowing that she is different to being in life-threatening situations and being sold!
Kali doesn't give the best first impression as she is making out with someone else's boyfriend and also doesn't seem too upset about that as she rationalises it to herself. The relationship between her and Cal was a bit strange too although, to be fair, I've seen stranger relationships in 'real' life. I was glad when they split up although I am interested to see where the story is going.
Rhane, ah, Rhane. What can I say about him apart from I want one! Tall, dark, handsome, protective, Alpha AND he has morals - what more could you want? Apart from loving every scene that he was in, I found myself getting more and more interested in his backstory as the current story moved along.
Although this is classed as Paranormal, I think I personally would add a touch, just a touch, of Sci-Fi to it too (Builders). This was very well-written with a fast pace, with characters that are both likeable and not! I honestly could not believe the ending and need to read the second book! Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 3, 2015
Kali doesn't give the best first impression as she is making out with someone else's boyfriend and also doesn't seem too upset about that as she rationalises it to herself. The relationship between her and Cal was a bit strange too although, to be fair, I've seen stranger relationships in 'real' life. I was glad when they split up although I am interested to see where the story is going.
Rhane, ah, Rhane. What can I say about him apart from I want one! Tall, dark, handsome, protective, Alpha AND he has morals - what more could you want? Apart from loving every scene that he was in, I found myself getting more and more interested in his backstory as the current story moved along.
Although this is classed as Paranormal, I think I personally would add a touch, just a touch, of Sci-Fi to it too (Builders). This was very well-written with a fast pace, with characters that are both likeable and not! I honestly could not believe the ending and need to read the second book! Highly recommended.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Feb 3, 2015
Zuky the BookBum (15 KP) rated The Witchfinder's Sister in Books
Mar 15, 2018
<i><b>I think now that to be close to someone can be to underestimate them. Grow too close, and you do not see what they are capable of; or you do not see it in time.</b></i>
<i>The Witchfinder’s Sister</i> is based on true life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins that grew to fame during the English Civil War around East Anglia, hunting and killing “witches”. This book isn’t non-fiction, it’s fiction based around non-fiction! I love these sorts of books that create their own stories from something that was very much real. Not only does it make for good reading, they also bring in some true history facts, so you’re being educated on the subject as you read.
High praise goes to Underdown for this novel. I feel like historical fiction can be hard genre to get right, and considering this is a <i>debut</i> novel, I’m amazed at how well put together and beautiful this has turned out to be! I love reading historical fiction, every once in awhile, and this is the sort of book that keeps my love for the genre burning.
The writing in this novel was haunting and beautiful. Nine times out of ten, it was exactly as you would have imagined the 17th Century to be, but I felt there were a few slips that made the book feel modern. For example, would a lady in 1645 say the phrase <i><b>“shitting herself”</b></i>? Correct me if I’m wrong, but that feels like a reasonably modern phrase to me.
I loved our main character, Alice. Me and my mum were talking about historical fiction novels and how we find it hard to understand why women make the decisions they make in these books, because we’re so used to having some equality and independence. But I noted that in this book, even though Alice is inferior to her brother and his counterparts, she is still a risk taker; going against her brother's wishes & sneaking around. I liked that she was strong and a little rebellious, it was so much easier to connect with her because of this.
On the other hand. I <i>hated</i> Matthew. He was a despicable character. I can rarely hate a character in a book, even if I’m supposed to. I tend to find the good in them at some point, or have some sort of sympathy for them, but I absolutely despised Matthew. Well done to Underdown for creating such a hate-inducing character. It’s quite a hard feat, but she managed it perfectly. The same goes for Mary Phillips.
The tension was built so well in this novel, you could feel the mystery growing and growing with every page and I loved it! Though the story moved reasonably slowly, the book was still absolutely riveting and I found it extremely hard to put down when I knew it was time to get some rest.
I am so, so excited to read more from Underdown. This was an amazingly well put together and researched.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
<i>The Witchfinder’s Sister</i> is based on true life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins that grew to fame during the English Civil War around East Anglia, hunting and killing “witches”. This book isn’t non-fiction, it’s fiction based around non-fiction! I love these sorts of books that create their own stories from something that was very much real. Not only does it make for good reading, they also bring in some true history facts, so you’re being educated on the subject as you read.
High praise goes to Underdown for this novel. I feel like historical fiction can be hard genre to get right, and considering this is a <i>debut</i> novel, I’m amazed at how well put together and beautiful this has turned out to be! I love reading historical fiction, every once in awhile, and this is the sort of book that keeps my love for the genre burning.
The writing in this novel was haunting and beautiful. Nine times out of ten, it was exactly as you would have imagined the 17th Century to be, but I felt there were a few slips that made the book feel modern. For example, would a lady in 1645 say the phrase <i><b>“shitting herself”</b></i>? Correct me if I’m wrong, but that feels like a reasonably modern phrase to me.
I loved our main character, Alice. Me and my mum were talking about historical fiction novels and how we find it hard to understand why women make the decisions they make in these books, because we’re so used to having some equality and independence. But I noted that in this book, even though Alice is inferior to her brother and his counterparts, she is still a risk taker; going against her brother's wishes & sneaking around. I liked that she was strong and a little rebellious, it was so much easier to connect with her because of this.
On the other hand. I <i>hated</i> Matthew. He was a despicable character. I can rarely hate a character in a book, even if I’m supposed to. I tend to find the good in them at some point, or have some sort of sympathy for them, but I absolutely despised Matthew. Well done to Underdown for creating such a hate-inducing character. It’s quite a hard feat, but she managed it perfectly. The same goes for Mary Phillips.
The tension was built so well in this novel, you could feel the mystery growing and growing with every page and I loved it! Though the story moved reasonably slowly, the book was still absolutely riveting and I found it extremely hard to put down when I knew it was time to get some rest.
I am so, so excited to read more from Underdown. This was an amazingly well put together and researched.
<i>Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books UK for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.</i>
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Drop Dead Gorgeous (Return to Fear Street #3) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
Great pacing (1 more)
Interesting plot
Cheesy Characters (1 more)
Not enough backstory
Cheesy but an Alright Read
I grew up reading R.L. Stine books especially his Fear Street series. When I heard there was going to be a new Fear Street series, I knew I had to read it. I loved the first book in the series, You May Now Kill the Bride. I was not impressed with the second book in the series, The Wrong Girl. I thought the latest book in the series, Drop Dead Gorgeous, was just an alright read.
The plot for Drop Dead Gorgeous was fairly interesting. Morgan Marks is the new girl at Linden High. No one knows where she came from, and her answers to everything are vague. She has a magnetic pull over all of the males in and around Linden. When I found out that Morgan was a vampire (not a spoiler, don't worry), I rolled my eyes and thought I wouldn't like this book. I'm not a big fan of vampire books (or films) since they've over-saturated the market. However, Drop Dead Gorgeous turned out to be alright. Anyway, someone is killing off the residents of Linden and draining their blood. Is it Morgan or could be be someone else? The world building was written to be believable enough even if some of the characters weren't believable. There were a few plot twists. A couple of them I didn't see coming, but I did predict a major plot twist.
All of the males in Drop Dead Gorgeous were beyond annoying and immature. All they could talk about were hot girls it seemed. They were really one dimensional, and I found myself not caring about Liam, Winks, and Zane. They would all brag how great they were, especially Winks. I'm sure there are some people like this, but I felt like it was a bit over the top having all three males in the book being so vapid and conceited. The females in Drop Dead Gorgeous had a little more depth to them thankfully. I still didn't care much about Delia, Amber, or Julie because there was no back story, so it was hard to connect to them. Out of the three girls, Delia seemed to feel the most real. Morgan was a good character. I enjoyed her backstory even if it was short, but hey, at least she had some backstory. The dialogue between the characters was extremely corny in some places, and I know I haven't been a teenager in many years, but I've never heard any teenage conversations like the ones in Drop Dead Gorgeous.
I will say that the pacing was done fairly well for Drop Dead Gorgeous. The first few chapters are a bit slow, but the pacing definitely picks up not much longer after that. I found myself immersed in what was happening in Linden.
Trigger warnings for Drop Dead Gorgeous include violence, death, murder, some gore, older man and underage girl kissing, and underage drinking.
Overall, Drop Dead Gorgeous was just an alright read. It wasn't great, but it wasn't a bad read either. If you can look past the overly cheesy characters, this is a good read. I would definitely recommend Drop Dead Gorgeous by R.L. Stine to those aged 15+.
The plot for Drop Dead Gorgeous was fairly interesting. Morgan Marks is the new girl at Linden High. No one knows where she came from, and her answers to everything are vague. She has a magnetic pull over all of the males in and around Linden. When I found out that Morgan was a vampire (not a spoiler, don't worry), I rolled my eyes and thought I wouldn't like this book. I'm not a big fan of vampire books (or films) since they've over-saturated the market. However, Drop Dead Gorgeous turned out to be alright. Anyway, someone is killing off the residents of Linden and draining their blood. Is it Morgan or could be be someone else? The world building was written to be believable enough even if some of the characters weren't believable. There were a few plot twists. A couple of them I didn't see coming, but I did predict a major plot twist.
All of the males in Drop Dead Gorgeous were beyond annoying and immature. All they could talk about were hot girls it seemed. They were really one dimensional, and I found myself not caring about Liam, Winks, and Zane. They would all brag how great they were, especially Winks. I'm sure there are some people like this, but I felt like it was a bit over the top having all three males in the book being so vapid and conceited. The females in Drop Dead Gorgeous had a little more depth to them thankfully. I still didn't care much about Delia, Amber, or Julie because there was no back story, so it was hard to connect to them. Out of the three girls, Delia seemed to feel the most real. Morgan was a good character. I enjoyed her backstory even if it was short, but hey, at least she had some backstory. The dialogue between the characters was extremely corny in some places, and I know I haven't been a teenager in many years, but I've never heard any teenage conversations like the ones in Drop Dead Gorgeous.
I will say that the pacing was done fairly well for Drop Dead Gorgeous. The first few chapters are a bit slow, but the pacing definitely picks up not much longer after that. I found myself immersed in what was happening in Linden.
Trigger warnings for Drop Dead Gorgeous include violence, death, murder, some gore, older man and underage girl kissing, and underage drinking.
Overall, Drop Dead Gorgeous was just an alright read. It wasn't great, but it wasn't a bad read either. If you can look past the overly cheesy characters, this is a good read. I would definitely recommend Drop Dead Gorgeous by R.L. Stine to those aged 15+.
Mike Wilder (20 KP) rated Rage (2009) in Movies
May 30, 2018
If you get the option to see this film you really should take the chance.
Contains spoilers, click to show
I started out making a blog for movie reviews a short while ago for the purpose of making reviews for fans. However, I didn't expect to be sent films to review so soon. I was put in touch with film maker Chris Witherspoon, he is promoting an independent film that he wrote, produced, directed and starred in called Rage. He sent me a copy and asked if I would review it for him. Happily I accepted. This is what being a film critic and reviewer is all about. Then I started to think, an independent film? There are a lot of them around and a lot of them are made by people that believe they possess the talent and ability to make a film, but in reality they fall far short of the mark. To get a good and unbiased opinion of the film I only watched the trailer for it, I left all the promotional material I received alone. The film arrived and with a fair amount of trepidation I put it on.
The film is about Dennis, a struggling writer with a loving wife Crystal (Audrey Walker) and a mistress Dana (Anna Lodej). Heading out one day he encounters a figure on a motorcycle in a car park. Pushing the encounter to one side he meets up with Dana. During the meeting he tells her that he loves his wife and breaks off the affair. She doesn't take it all that well. Once back in his car he encounters the biker again and this time the biker scratches his car and rides off. This leads to a game of cat and mouse, where at first Dennis hunts the biker down but the confrontations escalate and Dennis is soon in fear for his life. He now believes that the biker is a former boyfriend of his now ex-lover out for revenge. The biker arrives at Dennis's home and things turn deadly.
I went into this with a very open mind. I knew this was an independent film and I didn't expect too much from it. I find this is the best way to view new films. The film started off well with good introductions to the main characters but by the time the second encounter with the biker happened I found myself drawn in to the film. I forgot all about reviewing the film and got engrossed into the story. The film finished and not for a single moment did I feel bored. The pacing of the film is great, the story progresses well and the characters are well written and acted. The biker is menacing and all the more so because you don't really know his motives. The direction is professional and makes good use of lighting and colouring. The effects are very well utilised during the films climax. But the best thing about the movie was the way the story kept you guessing. I thought I had the plot figured out about 5 different times but each time I was wrong. That's what makes a good thriller/horror. There is one particular scene that was emotionally hard to watch but its place in the film drives the story and the terror forward to a new level.
You can see with this film that Chris Witherspoon is a very talented film maker. I wish him luck and hope this film has the desired effect and someone takes a chance on his abilities. I would love to see what he could to with a studio backing him. After all Spielberg started out with a movie called Duel about a truck pursuing and terrorising someone.
If you get the chance to see this film you really should take the chance. If you do you will see the start of hopefully a very successful film maker.
The film is about Dennis, a struggling writer with a loving wife Crystal (Audrey Walker) and a mistress Dana (Anna Lodej). Heading out one day he encounters a figure on a motorcycle in a car park. Pushing the encounter to one side he meets up with Dana. During the meeting he tells her that he loves his wife and breaks off the affair. She doesn't take it all that well. Once back in his car he encounters the biker again and this time the biker scratches his car and rides off. This leads to a game of cat and mouse, where at first Dennis hunts the biker down but the confrontations escalate and Dennis is soon in fear for his life. He now believes that the biker is a former boyfriend of his now ex-lover out for revenge. The biker arrives at Dennis's home and things turn deadly.
I went into this with a very open mind. I knew this was an independent film and I didn't expect too much from it. I find this is the best way to view new films. The film started off well with good introductions to the main characters but by the time the second encounter with the biker happened I found myself drawn in to the film. I forgot all about reviewing the film and got engrossed into the story. The film finished and not for a single moment did I feel bored. The pacing of the film is great, the story progresses well and the characters are well written and acted. The biker is menacing and all the more so because you don't really know his motives. The direction is professional and makes good use of lighting and colouring. The effects are very well utilised during the films climax. But the best thing about the movie was the way the story kept you guessing. I thought I had the plot figured out about 5 different times but each time I was wrong. That's what makes a good thriller/horror. There is one particular scene that was emotionally hard to watch but its place in the film drives the story and the terror forward to a new level.
You can see with this film that Chris Witherspoon is a very talented film maker. I wish him luck and hope this film has the desired effect and someone takes a chance on his abilities. I would love to see what he could to with a studio backing him. After all Spielberg started out with a movie called Duel about a truck pursuing and terrorising someone.
If you get the chance to see this film you really should take the chance. If you do you will see the start of hopefully a very successful film maker.
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Cutaway in Books
Feb 13, 2018
Virginia Knightly is a busy TV news producer. She's constantly juggling a million stories, cultivating her on-air talent, and appeasing whatever news director has been currently assigned to "revamp" her station and raise ratings. It's a typical day for Virginia when she sees a flyer come across her desk for a missing woman. But something in the woman's eyes in the fuzzy black and white poster haunt Virginia, and she becomes oddly attached to the case of Evelyn "Evie" Carney, a young, married lawyer who disappeared after dining with her husband (and informing him she wanted a divorce). It seems as if the DC police are more involved in Evie's case than Virginia would expect: perhaps even the Department of Justice. What happened to Evie, and is Virginia safe looking into her disappearance?
This seems to be yet another novel where I'm a bit of the minority here, but I just could not get into this one. The premise seemed intriguing (and of course, it was compared to all the popular thrillers du jour, which really doesn't do books favors these days). At times, I almost gave up on this book, which is not like me. First of all, instead of just focusing on the plot of Evie's disappearance, there is a ton (I mean a ton) of time focused on the in-fighting and arguing at the news station, which majorly detracts from the actual mystery plot. I found it juvenile and irritating. Because of this, quickly, I didn't like or care for any of the characters or their relationships whatsoever. Unfortunately, that never really changed. So much seemed to be going on in the book (including Virginia's own personal relationships: with the lead cop investigating Evie's case, her father, the main talent at the station) but so little of it related to Evelyn and her disappearance. A lot of loose ends never seemed to be tied up. I often found myself cringing at the dialogue.
It's sad, because, at times, the actual plot relating to Evelyn is good. I continually found myself wishing there was more of it. There's also a lot of telling versus showing, but I did find myself getting into the various pieces related to Evie. (It certainly makes you hope nothing bad ever happens to you, between the issues at the police department and various levels of justice.) I enjoyed that the story was set in a familiar location for me (Washington, DC). I did guess many of the main plot points, which was a little disappointing, including something you could see coming from the beginning of the story. The whole thing is so convoluted, with so many personal entanglements thrown in, that it's hard to believe at times. Virginia's obsession over Evie's disappearance is strange, and although a rather unbelievable reason will be given near the end, you spend the entire wondering why she's so fanatical. Apparently, while working in news, Kovac covered the Chandra Levy story, and you can see that in this tale at times. This is definitely a first novel, and there are glimmers of hopes for a second. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 03/21/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
This seems to be yet another novel where I'm a bit of the minority here, but I just could not get into this one. The premise seemed intriguing (and of course, it was compared to all the popular thrillers du jour, which really doesn't do books favors these days). At times, I almost gave up on this book, which is not like me. First of all, instead of just focusing on the plot of Evie's disappearance, there is a ton (I mean a ton) of time focused on the in-fighting and arguing at the news station, which majorly detracts from the actual mystery plot. I found it juvenile and irritating. Because of this, quickly, I didn't like or care for any of the characters or their relationships whatsoever. Unfortunately, that never really changed. So much seemed to be going on in the book (including Virginia's own personal relationships: with the lead cop investigating Evie's case, her father, the main talent at the station) but so little of it related to Evelyn and her disappearance. A lot of loose ends never seemed to be tied up. I often found myself cringing at the dialogue.
It's sad, because, at times, the actual plot relating to Evelyn is good. I continually found myself wishing there was more of it. There's also a lot of telling versus showing, but I did find myself getting into the various pieces related to Evie. (It certainly makes you hope nothing bad ever happens to you, between the issues at the police department and various levels of justice.) I enjoyed that the story was set in a familiar location for me (Washington, DC). I did guess many of the main plot points, which was a little disappointing, including something you could see coming from the beginning of the story. The whole thing is so convoluted, with so many personal entanglements thrown in, that it's hard to believe at times. Virginia's obsession over Evie's disappearance is strange, and although a rather unbelievable reason will be given near the end, you spend the entire wondering why she's so fanatical. Apparently, while working in news, Kovac covered the Chandra Levy story, and you can see that in this tale at times. This is definitely a first novel, and there are glimmers of hopes for a second. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley (thank you!) in return for an unbiased review; it is available everywhere as of 03/21/2017.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Ande Thomas (69 KP) rated White Fang in Books
May 30, 2019
I appreciate this book; I just don't like it.
Jack London is a unique breed. His voice is so distant, so separated from the subjects in his stories. In short bursts (<i>To Build a Fire</i>) it works for me - there's a beauty in watching the action unfold from such a distance. So too is there a beauty in the way White Fang is portrayed in this book. With an absolute minimum of anthropomorphism, we can see and feel what White Fang experiences. This isn't a cartoon version of a wolf-turned-man's-best-friend. The animals don't talk, don't even think in the way we're accustomed to their thoughts when we try to imagine what goes through their minds. White Fang is a dog; nothing more. It just so happens that we hear the story from his perspective.
But. While I appreciate that sort of perspective, one I wouldn't dream of finding from any other author, I still found myself speeding through the book, and not out of excitement. I just wanted to get it done and move on. The dissociation from the characters, though necessary, can only get you so far. Eventually it dissociated me from the story itself. I'll always maintain that I like Jack London. I just...maybe...won't re-read him.
Jack London is a unique breed. His voice is so distant, so separated from the subjects in his stories. In short bursts (<i>To Build a Fire</i>) it works for me - there's a beauty in watching the action unfold from such a distance. So too is there a beauty in the way White Fang is portrayed in this book. With an absolute minimum of anthropomorphism, we can see and feel what White Fang experiences. This isn't a cartoon version of a wolf-turned-man's-best-friend. The animals don't talk, don't even think in the way we're accustomed to their thoughts when we try to imagine what goes through their minds. White Fang is a dog; nothing more. It just so happens that we hear the story from his perspective.
But. While I appreciate that sort of perspective, one I wouldn't dream of finding from any other author, I still found myself speeding through the book, and not out of excitement. I just wanted to get it done and move on. The dissociation from the characters, though necessary, can only get you so far. Eventually it dissociated me from the story itself. I'll always maintain that I like Jack London. I just...maybe...won't re-read him.
Phillip McSween (751 KP) rated Joy (2015) in Movies
Jan 16, 2018
Decent
Joy never fully grabbed me and I wanted it to. Joy (Jennifer Lawrence) is a genius in her own right, but the bad breaks and trials of life have prevented her from rising to become anything more than a struggling matriarch trying to keep her entire family from killing each other. After coming up with a brilliant idea she decides to throw her all at it to make her dreams come true.
On paper, it sounds like just the movie I would fall in love with. However, it gets off to a very slow start due to some chronological jumbling. While I was still able to follow along just fine, I found my interest waning.
The payoff at the ending didn't do much to satisfy the bad taste in my mouth. I was frustrated for Joy throughout the film all the while rooting for her success. In the end, it just wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be.
I did think the film was aided by some very strong acting performances. Whether you loved them or hated them, everyone played their roles extremely well. There were also a handful of surprises over the course of the film that managed to keep me engaged.
Would I watch this again? Sure. Do I need to? Meh. I give Joy a 76.
On paper, it sounds like just the movie I would fall in love with. However, it gets off to a very slow start due to some chronological jumbling. While I was still able to follow along just fine, I found my interest waning.
The payoff at the ending didn't do much to satisfy the bad taste in my mouth. I was frustrated for Joy throughout the film all the while rooting for her success. In the end, it just wasn't quite what I was hoping it would be.
I did think the film was aided by some very strong acting performances. Whether you loved them or hated them, everyone played their roles extremely well. There were also a handful of surprises over the course of the film that managed to keep me engaged.
Would I watch this again? Sure. Do I need to? Meh. I give Joy a 76.
Nicole Hadley (380 KP) rated Time Travel Dinosaur in Books
Jun 18, 2018
<a href="https://awindowintobooks.wordpress.com">Full Review</a>
I received Time Travel: Dinosaur by Matt Youngmark for free in exchange for a review. When I found out I won this book I was excited. I grew up reading Choose Your Own Adventure books and I felt that this book would have the opportunity to throw me back to sitting on the floor in the library with my friends reading for hours on end. This book most definitely did except this time I was sitting in my bathtub soaking my soak body after a long day at work.
The book is witty yet it causes the reader to think beyond the story, it causes the readers imagination to run wild and imagine as if they are in a jungle somewhere, to running for their life from a dinosaur to being an actual dinosaur to spending time on the moon with cops. The goal is to save the original timeline and you are able to do this through time travel.
There is some profanity used in this book, so while it appears to be perfect for children I believe it is aimed more for readers who are teenagers because of language use. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope teenagers and other adults who want a revamped choose your own adventure book to spark their imagination and entertain them for several hours.
I received Time Travel: Dinosaur by Matt Youngmark for free in exchange for a review. When I found out I won this book I was excited. I grew up reading Choose Your Own Adventure books and I felt that this book would have the opportunity to throw me back to sitting on the floor in the library with my friends reading for hours on end. This book most definitely did except this time I was sitting in my bathtub soaking my soak body after a long day at work.
The book is witty yet it causes the reader to think beyond the story, it causes the readers imagination to run wild and imagine as if they are in a jungle somewhere, to running for their life from a dinosaur to being an actual dinosaur to spending time on the moon with cops. The goal is to save the original timeline and you are able to do this through time travel.
There is some profanity used in this book, so while it appears to be perfect for children I believe it is aimed more for readers who are teenagers because of language use. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I hope teenagers and other adults who want a revamped choose your own adventure book to spark their imagination and entertain them for several hours.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Time Chamber: A Magical Story and Colouring Book in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Take a break from the chaos of life and spend hours immersed in the intricacies and the magic of The Time Chamber, a coloring book for adults.
The red haired fairy leaves her time garden to visit our world. She brings with her, a few magical items, which you must find hidden in the pages. Everything she touches is a magical new adventure for her. She explores our world as the little girl sleeps. When the girl awakens, the fairy retreats back to her own world.
I have always enjoyed art. Whether it's painting an original piece, coloring a fuzzy poster, doing a paint-by-number or doodling in my son's coloring book, I find relaxation in expressing myself through my artwork. So when I discovered coloring books for adults, I did a happy dance. I have spent hours coloring in The Time Chamber. The detail is incredible and the artwork intricate. I also found the story line enchanting. Although, I did find a few inconsistencies with the patterns that my O.C.D. did not like, I was able to overlook them and enjoy my time. Overall, this is a very charming book and I absolutely love taking time out of the day to relax and color.
I received a free copy of The Time Chamber from Penguin Random House Publishing through Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.
The red haired fairy leaves her time garden to visit our world. She brings with her, a few magical items, which you must find hidden in the pages. Everything she touches is a magical new adventure for her. She explores our world as the little girl sleeps. When the girl awakens, the fairy retreats back to her own world.
I have always enjoyed art. Whether it's painting an original piece, coloring a fuzzy poster, doing a paint-by-number or doodling in my son's coloring book, I find relaxation in expressing myself through my artwork. So when I discovered coloring books for adults, I did a happy dance. I have spent hours coloring in The Time Chamber. The detail is incredible and the artwork intricate. I also found the story line enchanting. Although, I did find a few inconsistencies with the patterns that my O.C.D. did not like, I was able to overlook them and enjoy my time. Overall, this is a very charming book and I absolutely love taking time out of the day to relax and color.
I received a free copy of The Time Chamber from Penguin Random House Publishing through Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.